


Are You Bored Yet?

by wyvryn



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Angst, Growing Up Together, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Songfic, no beta we die like men, theyre both kind of homophobic at first but it’s okay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:15:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27364126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wyvryn/pseuds/wyvryn
Summary: When John and his sister are forced to move up north for the summer, John makes a new friend.
Relationships: Jake English/Dirk Strider, John Egbert/Dave Strider
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	Are You Bored Yet?

**Author's Note:**

> A few notes, the alpha kids are all older siblings with the beta kids being their younger siblings. Their guardians are separate people. The strider family also goes Bro > Cal > Dirk > Hal > Dave. Cal and Hal are both moved out.

Summer.  
Summer was the time of water guns and running barefoot. A time to put a sprinkler under the trampoline and drizzle dish soap across the surface to play in the suds. A time to stay up late and sleep into the afternoon. A time to run across fields on the Fourth of July as the fireworks exploded in the sky to leave trails of floating stardust.  
This is what Summer means to John. Or, what summer meant to John for ten years of his life. He was a boy set in his ways to the point of defiance when something went unplanned, a creature of habit. 

And he doesn’t take kindly to the notion of his plans being uprooted to visit some stupid cousins in a stupid desert in a stupid town in the summer of 2001. 

—— 

John’s eyes fluttered open as the sunlight filtered through the flimsy curtains, the pieces of fabric pushing gently inwards with the breeze of the hot summer afternoon. He found himself twisted in his blanket, a result of the previous night’s affairs and attempts to find a position that didn’t make him sweat buckets from the sweltering nighttime. John propped himself up on his left elbow, looking at the room in the daylight.  
The attic room’s roof was framed with pine, nails dug into the ceiling seemingly at random. A chain wrapped around one of them to dangle a lantern, the only measly source of light in the evening. The bed he laid on was squeaky and ancient, the mattress protector crinkling beneath him as he shifted his legs over the side of the mattress. Fumbling for his glasses on the nightstand for a second, he breathed in the hot air of the desert. The desert and his supposed home for the next two months. A stupid borderline-ghost town up north. 

John stretched his hands up, arching his back and yawning. He shifted his glasses to rub sleep out of his eye as he stepped down the stairs. Before reaching the door at the bottom, he stopped to the sound of an unfamiliar voice on the other side. It for sure wasn’t Jane as it both belonged to a man and had a starkly different accent, although he did sound around John’s sister’s age.  
Cracking the door open, John peered through to see a boy that looked strikingly similar to him. Despite him being older and taller and much more husky and dark than John, he saw his smile, his nose, his eyebrows, and he looked so similar. 

Jane eventually seemed to notice her brother peering through the door, clapping her hands together and grinning wide as she jogged towards him.  
“John, there you are! C’mere, there’s someone you should meet!”

She clasped the younger’s shoulders and guided him towards the guy leaning against the timber doorframe, the corners of his mouth upturned as the two approached.  
“Heya there chap!” The man grinned. “Do you happen to remember me, John?”

John shook his head.  
“No, sorry, I don’t think I do! Uhm, where did we meet!”

“Well it does make sense, you were only a little thing last time I saw you!” He snickered, gesturing to his waist as a visual.  
“We last met at a family gathering, distant cousins I believe!” 

John tapped his foot nervously, arms crossed over his chest.  
“Yeah, I’m sorry but I don’t think I recall meeting you, I was only… I think 4 at the time…?” 

The man scratched the back of his head as he chuckled.  
“Ah, makes sense! Well, uh, my name is Jake, Jake English! My younger sister is about the same age as you. Do… do you remember her?” 

John perked up, tilting his head.  
“Oh, what’s her name?”

“Jade. Jade Harley, different last names.” 

John lingered for a second before it clicked, eyes widening.  
“OH! Jade! I do remember her, we went swimming together at that gathering!” 

Jake let out a hearty laugh.  
“That’s right! You pushed her into the pool right after she changed back into her clothes!” 

Jane’s head snapped back to stare at John.  
“Ah! I’d never heard about that, John!” 

An awkward silence hung in the air, before being cut off by Jake, his nervous voice piping up.  
“Well why don’t we… recall that situation over breakfast! I have a little bit of news to share with the both of you.” 

—— 

Jane leaned over the table to grab the syrup as her and Jake chatted. 

“So you’re here until your dad is finished up with his work, correct?” 

Jane nodded as she drizzled the syrup over her pancakes.  
“Unfortunately yes. He’ll most likely be done by mid August. Your boyfriend is coming up to see you in a few days though, right?”

John felt a weird pit in his stomach as he heard ‘boyfriend’. Did… did Jake like boys? He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. As he looked down at his half-finished plate of food. He didn’t feel like eating anymore. 

“Right-o!” Jake grinned. “Dirk’s coming down with one of his younger brothers. That’s actually what I wanted to ask you about, Jane.” 

“Oh? Shoot.” 

“Could you ask your dad if Dirk's brother could stay with you guys for the few weeks that the two are down? I swear, the little guy is quite mild mannered and a very mellow lad, it’s just, the apartment I’m staying in only has two bedrooms and I don’t think I’d feel quite right letting Dave sleep in the same bed as Jade, y’know? And I thought, maybe, John and the little guy would get along strappingly!” 

Jane tapped her cheek, squinting as she gathered her thoughts. She sighed as she came to her conclusion  
“Shucks, it couldn’t hurt to have him for a few weeks. I’ll ask Pops this evening, alright?”

John’s face was hot with embarrassment. He didn’t want a homo living with him, let alone anywhere near him. Why did he feel humiliation hearing about this? He was justified.  
John faintly heard Jake thank his sister, but his vision blurred from the tears welling up in his eyes. Stop it. Stop it.  
He thought it over and over as he stared and his food, metal squeaking over ceramic like nails on a chalk board. 

“... John? John!” 

He snapped out of his stupor and stared up at Jane. 

“John, why are you crying? Did I say something?” She asked, brows furrowed. From his other side, Jake reached a hand out to place on his shoulder. 

“Golly, I’m sorry if I said anything chap, although I’m not quite in the loop as to what it would-” 

John abruptly cut him off. Fists clenched on the sides of his cobalt PJs.  
“I don’t want some weirdo queer living with us!” he spat. 

Jake recoiled. It was silent. Jane stared at him, lips parted like she wanted to say something. Her eyes were icy.  
“John. Go to your room.” She hissed. 

“But-“ 

“Now.” 

John bit his bottom lip to keep it from trembling as he cast one last glance at a shellshocked Jake. He turned on his heel and stormed back to the attic. 

—— 

Jane made her proclaimed dumb eleven year old brother apologize to Jake.  
John spoke through his teeth the entire time, averting his gaze from Jake’s. 

“Ah, yes, we… we all make silly blunders sometimes.” 

Jake forced a smile. 

The younger boy turned to Jane, tugging on her skirt.  
“Can I go back to my room now?”

Jane clenched her teeth.  
“For now. But we’re having a serious talk later. Now skedaddle.”

—— 

The day the Striders were slated to arrive, John stayed in bed. Jane’s talk wrang in his mind, firm words of condemnation for his stunt at breakfast, and the threat of being grounded if it happened again. John brought his knees up to his chest, face getting red again at the memory of her words.  
“Why do you think it’s wrong?” 

He tried to explain that the kids at school thought it was weird, stumbling over his words in embarrassment. Jane shook her head in that condescending way that he hates.  
“I’m disappointed in you, John. You know better. Pops didn’t raise you like that.” 

Her words stung. John felt salty tears prick the corners of his eyes, shifting his glasses to wipe them away. He wasn’t a weirdo or a fairy. 

He jumped as a knock rang out across the summer house. He heard the door open from downstairs. Listening intently, it sounded like Jane and Jake, as well as another unidentified voice. That must be Dirk. He sounded to be around sixteen, just like the other two. 

Careful as to not set off a creaky floorboard, John tiptoed his way to the door leading to the stairs, cracking only the top one open to avoid the mistake he made the last time. He could now make the muffled voices out a tad clearer. 

“Dave’s got his other bags in the car. Could you take him while I grab his shit?” 

That must be Dirk. 

“Of course! Why don’t I show him to his room?”

John heard the door at the base of the stairs creak open. Tripping backwards from the startle, he tried, and failed, to close his own door. The impact dislodged his glasses from behind his ears. He was now on his knees searching in semi-blind panic, when the door opened to Jane and a boy behind her. John found his discarded glasses, fumbling them crookedly onto the bridge of his nose. He looked up. 

The breeze wafted through the curtains and wind chimes danced with it in the distance. Sun shone onto the boy’s face, his deep complexion glowing honey against the rays. Faint freckles scattered across the corners of his button nose, and when he shifted to look at John’s pathetic display on the ground, the light caught his deep brown eyes, glowing burgundy.  
“Hey. John, right? I heard about you. I mean, I had to have heard about you, I’m living with you for a week.”

“Oh. Yeah. You’re Dave, right?” 

“In the flesh.” 

Silence hung heavy in the air. John noticed Dave fidgeting with a pair of triangular glasses propped up on his head. 

Jane cleared her throat.  
“Well, boys, how about we help Dirk with Dave’s stuff, yeah?”

——

Dinner felt awkward. Jane kept trying to strike up a conversation for John to have with Dave, but nothing seemed to click, so Jane had to swoop in to save the dying interaction. John noticed Dave would often ramble on quite a bit, but catch himself in the middle of a sentence, completely dropping the subject. John felt weird talking to him, knowing about his brother and Jake. It was… uncomfortable. 

Washing dishes after supper was the same, uncomfortable silence. 

“So boys, is there anything you want to do tomorrow? Movies? Milkshakes?” 

Dave tilted his head a bit.  
“Huh. Milkshakes sound rad. I could go for a banana split.” 

He noticed John staring at him, and his relaxed demeanour shifted. His shoulders tensed and smile faded.  
“Oh uh, if that’s alright. With everyone. Wouldn’t want to do anything you didn’t want to do. We can do what John wants to do. Do you want to do anything John because I’m down to clown with anything you’ve got goin on.” 

The corner of John’s mouth twitched in… disgust? No, that sounded too harsh. More like annoyance.  
“No. We can do whatever you want to. Milkshakes I guess. I’m gonna go to bed.” 

“Wait John,” Jane hesitated. “It’s only 8:30, don’t you want to stay up to watch a movie with us? Pop’s not home for another hour, don’t you wanna say good night to him?” 

“Not really.” 

—— 

John stood on a stool by his window, hot breeze dancing through his hair. The sky was a clear cobalt, the Milky Way on display like a firework show.

He jumped at a loud knock on his door.  
“Come in!” 

Jane entered, arms crossed.  
“Look, John, I don’t know what your problem with Dave is, but golly you need to lighten the hell up kiddo. Poor boy is just trying to talk to you and you’re just… an ass! For no reason!” 

She was pacing now, exaggerated arm movements giving away just how pissed she was.  
“Good god! I don’t know why you’re so stuck up around him! Is it because his brothers gay? Do you find him weird? Grow the hell up John, you know better than that!” 

There was that hot feeling in his face again. Humiliation.  
“I don’t want to talk about it, Jane.” 

“What, about being a little asshole for no reason? God you can be such a little shit sometimes! Why can’t you just be mature and talk about your stupid prejudices instead of whining about someone who might not even be gay!” 

“Jane.” 

“I’m sick of your bullshit, John!” 

“Jane-” 

“What!”

John gestured to the doorway with a nod of his head. Dave stood there, sinking back as if he was submitting.  
“Hey. So should I like… leave? Is this a brother-sister feelings jam? I can totally vibe with that, y’know, I just thought I heard you mention my brother. One of my brothers. Dirk. I thought you mentioned Dirk.” 

Jane pursed her lips as if she was trying to keep herself from saying something. She hesitated for another second before letting out an exasperated sigh, turning on her heel and leaving. Before closing the door, her hand lingered on Dave’s shoulder.  
“I’m sorry, Dave.” 

The door shut, and the two were alone. 

Dave stood there in shock for a split second before steeling himself. He shifted his sunglasses down to the bridge of his nose, clearing his throat.  
“That was awkward, I’m sorry dude, I should’ve knocked. I didn’t mean to break up that whole deal with your sister, I was just making sure nothing bad had happened to Dirk, you feel?” 

John grimaced.  
“Yeah. I’m gonna go to sleep.” 

“Oh… uh. Alright. Sleep tight, bro.”

“Don’t call me that.”

—— 

John could hear Dave tossing and turning on the futon beside him all night. He tried to pretend he was asleep so he didn’t try to talk to him. Sometimes it worked, but occasionally Dave would pipe up by letting out a soft “... John?”.

Both boys couldn’t sleep all night and woke up to the birds singing outside their window as the sun rose behind the hills, shining soft rays through the paper thin curtains. Light hit Dave’s face and he scrunched his eyes shut. Instead of his usual discomfort John felt while looking at the boy, something in his gut twinged when he laid his eyes upon his peaceful face. He didn’t notice how long he may have been staring until Dave opened an eye, shining auburn in the sunlight. “Hey. What’s up?” 

John panicked. What the hell was he doing?  
“Nothing. Just checking if you were awake. I’m getting up.” 

—— 

The day progressed as the previous, and the next, and the next. All week, John stayed home if not forcibly pried from his room, one of those days being to go to see Dirk and Jake, dragged by the collar by his Dad. John felt uncomfortable the entire time, not even really talking to Jade, although her and Dave got on well. 

Dirk looked a lot like his brother, shades and all, although his complexion was lighter and his blonde hair didn’t seem to be dyed like Dave’s. His jaw was sharp and muscles defined, and he seemed to have a stupid tattoo that matched Jake’s. 

John left as he came, on edge and awkward.  
He wasn’t usually like this. He liked talking with strangers and being goofy with his friends, but this entire time he’d felt sick. He kept having second thoughts about himself. Questioning himself. But it was nothing. He was normal. 

—— 

The nighttime came again. It was a few days before the Strider boy had to leave. Thank god…? John rolled over, peering down at Dave. He had gotten to sleep fine tonight, tuckered out after going swimming with Jade. His chest rose and fell softly with the unusual beating rain against the tin roof. 

John was lost in thought.  
Why did he even decide to hate Dave in the first place? He was a fine enough guy. 

No, he was weird and… unnatural. Well his brother was at least. And who knows, maybe it rubbed off on Dave. 

“I heard you the other night.”

John nearly jumped out of his skin. 

“Arguing with Jane about my brother, I mean.”

“I-”  
He was at a loss for words. 

“It took a while to get used to my brother being… you know. I mean, I always loved him and always will, don’t get me wrong, but our oldest brother, he doesn’t take kindly to.” Dave hesitated over his words. “To people like him. Thinks they’re weird. Dirk doesn’t feel safe at home with Bro.” 

John’s words caught in the back of his throat. 

“I’m sorry, that turned awkward real quick, didn’t mean to start a feelings jam. You just look at Dirk… weirdly. I get it, you’re not used to it fully, but maybe I can put your mind at ease by saying at least… at least I’m not gay.” 

John tried to talk, but couldn’t force the words out. It was silent. 

Too silent. 

“Why do you think it’s weird? Your sister and dad are fine with Dirk and Jake being together. How’d you go about becoming homophobic with such a cool ass family?” 

There it was again. His face felt like it was burning up, his stomach twisting into a knot. 

“I-“ he choked out. “I don’t know, Dave. Isn’t it unnatural? It’s n-not… manly. It’s not how boys s-should be.” 

Dave’s eyes flicked open to cast a sympathetic up at the other boy.  
“Yeah. I understand. I still feel like that too, dude. It’s like… one side of my brain is yelling that you should be supportive of your brother because, god, he’s like the damn pinnacle of masculinity, the guy’s like a surging mass of testosterone for shits sake, but you still have that other side screaming that it’s… disgusting. Because that’s what Bro told you your whole life.” 

John felt like he was about to start crying, but mentally shook himself out of it.  
“Yeah. You’re right. I’m… can we talk in the morning?” 

“Sure, dude, night.” 

“... goodnight.”

—— 

When John awoke, Dave was stretching beside him. 

“Yo, morning.” 

“... good… good morning.” 

Dave rose to his feet, stumbling as he slipped a sock over his bare foot.  
“Hey, so I know my brother and Jake wanted to take us over to the swings today to take Becquerel for a walk. You up for it today?” 

John felt the corner of his mouth twitch again, but… this felt different. It felt good. 

“Sure.”

John smiled, and Dave smiled back. 

—— 

John jogged up to Jake ahead on the walking path, passing the brothers lost in conversation.  
“Hey, Jake. Um, I’m sorry that I didn’t give a really good apology the other day. So, I’m sorry that I said all of that.”

Jake looked shocked for a second, but his open mouth quickly turned into a small smile.  
“Hey, it’s okay kiddo. You may have been acting a tad brash, but it’s a-okay. Just… don’t be too hard on Dave, alright?” 

John gulped.  
“Yeah, sure.” 

Nearing the park, Bec raced up ahead, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth.  
“H-hey!” Jake yelped, tripping over his own feet as he ran ahead. “Bec! Get back here! Bad dog!” 

“Not as quite as adept as Jade, huh? Poor dude can’t even get the damn dog under control.” Dave snorts as he comes up behind John. 

“Yep, he’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Speaking of Jade, how’s she doing, you said she’s sick, right?”

Dave shrugs as he adjusts his shades. “Dunno. Last I heard she was running a gnarly fever. Poor girl couldn’t even get out of bed.” 

“Aw, man, I was kind of hoping to see her today!” John laments. “Last time I was kind of miserable. On account of the whole… situation.” 

Shrinking into his hoodie, John scratches the back of his head, trying to hide his embarrassment. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask you, Egbert,” Dave queries. “Why are you suddenly cool with me in your general vicinity? Like, are we cool now?” 

A frown creeps across John’s face.  
“I… I guess we are. I dunno, I don’t want to talk about it a ton. I guess last night kind of swayed me a bit.” 

“Yeah, sure bro. You wanna help Jake catch Bec? Dude needs it.” 

—— 

The night was unnaturally cold. Clouds swirled around the moon, masking the vibrant light. Jake and Dirk had long since left the two younger boys alone, sitting on the swings and staring at the sky. As the rusty chains creaked and ground against metal and the decaying wood seats, Dave and John talked for the first time. Not as in a passive aggressive remark, or a late night dialogue. But a real, meaningful conversation. 

And John felt good. 

Even though his skin was frigid and cheeks were flushed, he still felt warm in a way. Sure, he had friends at home, but he couldn’t remember a time when he had felt so safe with a friend. So warm. He didn’t even realize his teeth were chartering until Dave was holding his sweater out to him.  
“Dude you’re practically going into hypothermic shock over there. Pathetic little legs look like they’ll freeze right off. Looks like frozen pre-made Dino nuggies got burnt and re-froze. For the love of god cover your poor skin.” 

John extended his arm, but hesitated.  
“Won’t you be cold?” 

“Nah, dude, I’m used to it. Bro doesn’t have a heater in our apartment, shit freezes sometimes, even in Texas.” Dave commented, chucking the red sweater onto John’s lap. 

It was silent, until Dave noticed John’s concerned gaze. 

“Hey, why are you looking at me like that? It’s no biggie, don’t sweat it. We should actually probably head back in a few, don’t want your sister to shit herself.” 

John nodded in agreement. But somewhere deep down in his gut, he wished they could stay there for longer. 

—— 

The day arrived, and Dave had his bags by the front door. 

John felt miserable. Just when he started to feel comfortable, just when he decided to not be a dick, his friend had to leave for another year.  
But he wasn’t going to cry. He wasn’t going to be a baby in front of Dave and Dirk. 

As Dave hugged Jane goodbye, he could hear Jake crying somewhere outside. He wanted to see what was up, but before he could peek around the door, Dave was in front of him. 

“So. Guess this is goodbye.” 

John scratched the back of his neck.  
“I guess so.” 

“Until next year?”

“Yeah, our dad should be coming back up.” 

They stood there in anxious silence, both boys looking at the floor. Dave broke the silence.  
“Hey man. I’m glad we worked things out.” 

John peered up.  
“Yeah, me too.”

“Hug it out?” 

He didn’t need to ask John twice. He melted into his friend’s arms, wrapping him in a warm embrace. 

“I’ll see you next year.”

—— 

Through the year, John and Dave occasionally chatted. They called each other on their birthdays, as well as to wish each other a Merry Christmas. 

And just as they had promised, next year came just as sweet as the first. 

The day Dave arrived, John ran barefoot into the dried up lawn, opening the door to his seat. Dave launched himself out and into his friend’s arms, laughing like teenage girls. 

And this year, they had fun. They stayed up late to talk, sneaking out and running to the swingset. They went for milkshakes at the Lalonde diner and got hopped up on sugar. 

And it made his departure even more somber. 

When Dave left this year, John could hold his tears in. John cried as he clung to the boy’s red sweater, warm and familiar. 

And Dave held him. He held the other’s head to his chest, rubbing his back in slow circles.  
“Hey… you’ll see me next year, right?” 

John sniffled.  
“Only if you want to… dad doesn’t have to work here next year but… I could see if Jane could bring me up?” 

“That would be nice.” Dave whispered. 

“I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too, John.”

**Author's Note:**

> This may have typos but hot damn I’m so tired I might edit it tomorrow might not. Funky lil mental illness decides this fics fate


End file.
